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I am also a big fan pf the Pre-filmation era & what those comics achieved with very little media. The mini-comics introduced the world of He-Man to me & it was fascinating. The best portrayals of characters like Tri-Klops were in the mini-comics. MOTUC reminds me most of that era, as we don't have any Filmation characters (like Orko) in the line yet, & the core characters are heavily based on those mini-comic type appearances. It was much more barbaric, Frazetta, Conan, scary...

I love all things & media that are MOTU, from every era, but the original 11 mini-comics will always have a special place for me, as that is how I met He-Man & his saga for the 1st time.

Can someone remind me, were there any more pre-filmation comic/record pack-ins with the original playsets or vehicles. I always loved the Power of Point Dread/Danger at Castle Grayskull comic/record that came with my Point Dread & Talon Fighter toy. Artistically these stories felt like they fit between the original 4 mini-comics and the second series. He-Man still gained his super strength from his power vest but characters like Tri-Klops, Trap Jaw and Man-E-Faces were featured. I wonder if there are more classic stories out there like this I never heard of.

As strong as my love for Prince Adam and the Filmation cartoon is, I always thought that the Alcala origin of He-Man (a barbarian meeting the Goddess and becoming the most powerful man in the Universe) was a best and most mature way of introducing He-Man.

I hate the way the main hero is always someone rich or powerful at the beginning. Why can't the hero be just a savage to begin with, just like Alcala did?

Being a Conan fan, I also like the Vikor concept.

It is clear that Filmation created Prince Adam to be closer to fairytales, for the younger public.

But I must say I like both origins of He-Man. As a kid, I prefered the Filmation origin of He-Man. As an adult, I prefer the pre-filmation origin of He-Man.

This said, I'd really like a MOTUC Skeletor "Alcala" head... He'd look really cool, and I think there's a fan called Nano Fatato who has such an avatar (MOTUC Skeletor Alcala head)... and it looks perfect !

I started out with the mini comics, and I do love them, but I also really liked a lot of the stuff Filmation introduced. I guess that's why I love MOTUC so much because it's taking the best elements of each and combining them. At least, that's how it is for me.

I was obsessed with the ancient feel of the original mini comics. The world was darker and more surreal. Skeletor seemed like more of a threat and his minions seemed less bumbling.

I eventually accepted the idea of Prince Adam however in my heart my allegiance was always to the barbarian He-Man fighting in a world that was mysterious and foreboding. You never knew what was around the next corner and it just seemed more dangerous.

Fimation was great when I was a kid. It opened up the door to weekly adventures. The problem was that even as a child I would look at the screen and think to myself that it was not correctly portrayed. It just changed the way I looked at the series. I suddenly wanted an Orko and I wanted Man-At-Arms to have a mustache. It also seemed like it took forever to get a Prince Adam figure much less the Sorceress.

Now when I watch the Filmation series I cannot take it seriously at all. It is campy and silly and the things that take place are laughable. I still respect it because without it I am not sure how successful Masters of the Universe would have become. It is however nowhere near as serious as the minis and that will always agitate me a bit.

As an adult though I go back to the original mini comics as inspiration on how I would portray the He-Man mythos. I also wonder how a cartoon that was more in line with the original mini comics would have gone. Would it have been as well received? I know I would love it.

Great pictures btw Whiplash77! I can't believe I did not visit this thread sooner!

I was obsessed with the ancient feel of the original mini comics. The world was darker and more surreal. Skeletor seemed like more of a threat and his minions seemed less bumbling.

I eventually accepted the idea of Prince Adam however in my heart my allegiance was always to the barbarian He-Man fighting in a world that was mysterious and foreboding. You never knew what was around the next corner and it just seemed more dangerous.

Fimation was great when I was a kid. It opened up the door to weekly adventures. The problem was that even as a child I would look at the screen and think to myself that it was not correctly portrayed. It just changed the way I looked at the series. I suddenly wanted an Orko and I wanted Man-At-Arms to have a mustache. It also seemed like it took forever to get a Prince Adam figure much less the Sorceress.

Now when I watch the Filmation series I cannot take it seriously at all. It is campy and silly and the things that take place are laughable. I still respect it because without it I am not sure how successful Masters of the Universe would have become. It is however nowhere near as serious as the minis and that will always agitate me a bit.

As an adult though I go back to the original mini comics as inspiration on how I would portray the He-Man mythos. I also wonder how a cartoon that was more in line with the original mini comics would have gone. Would it have been as well received? I know I would love it.

Great pictures btw Whiplash77! I can't believe I did not visit this thread sooner!

I am 100% with you here. The only thing that I feel is exceptional about the Filmation series is the epic music. It's some of the best music for any cartoon that's ever been produced. But the minicomics have the superior tone and backstory, bar none. Long live Barbarian He-Man!

I feel the same way as most people in this thread. Already hooked on what I considered 'Frazetta toys', I was really looking forward to the cartoon series to air in my country, and I clearly remember being quite... disappointed with the whole concept of a prince in lilac tights who (by chance?) discovered he'd turn into the Most Powerful Man in the Universe when he one day happened to hold aloft his sword and decided to randomly say 'by the power of-'. Turns out the sword was magic Worse still, the prince looks exactly like He-Man, only with a pink vest.

There's probably more to it, but that's what Adam said in the opening credits.

Still, I enjoyed the series and looked forward to every single episode (this was the only way to see my favourite characters move and speak by themselves) and bought almost every silly gimmicky toy that followed, while all the time I couldn't shake the feeling that somehow the joke was on me.

Nevertheless, the impact the original toy line had on me as a little boy was huge and I still love those first figures.

On another note, I'm currently working as a fulltime comic artist and concept designer for video games, and if there's any editors out there seriously considering adapting that post-apocalyptic pre-cartoon storyline to a new comic book/graphic novel format for adults... Please check my portfolio!

Yeah, but the trouble is I had to digitally match Adora's skin tone with Teela's and darken her hair and change her lip color.

So if you wanna make a blonde Teela out of an Adora head, it'll take some work.

Not work so much as money (I don't trust myself at all with that), but I was planning on it anyways, though I was just going to have the non-helmeted Teela head repainted. Of courtse, I ended up liking it too much to do that. I just wasn't planning on buying an extra Adora to steal the head from.

OMG...I have an extra Adora that I was going to sell, but now I think I am going to have to make me a minicomic Teela. It was one thing to see your sample from earlier in the thread, but to see her in action? I must have her! Quick custom, here I come!

I am confused by this... The first wave of figures included Teela... and she came with one of the first 4 mini-comics... so, in that way, it was always confusing... but you make it sound as though you had been reading MOTU comics or books before Teela (the figure) came out... how is that possible??

Yes if I remember right Teela & Stratos & Zodac wer not released in the inital wave they were released 6 months after

I'm glad Toyguru reiterated his previous remarks on blonde Teela. But alas, I'm a full convert to red-head Teela now. lol. Although I'd still buy a different version. It might look good in some pictures, but Adora's head isn't really ideal for Teela. The collar makes it difficult, plus it just looks like Adora raided Teela's wardrobe..

I'm glad Toyguru reiterated his previous remarks on blonde Teela. But alas, I'm a full convert to red-head Teela now. lol. Although I'd still buy a different version. It might look good in some pictures, but Adora's head isn't really ideal for Teela. The collar makes it difficult, plus it just looks like Adora raided Teela's wardrobe..

Yeah. I found this out too. Adora's head on Teela's body just prevents me from displaying Adora.